A left handed stitch

It's been a tricky four weeks with my right hand in plaster. I had the choice of colour and chose paw prints in honour of our son's new puppy. She's very good and learning quite quickly, she's here about once a week and is very well behaved.

It's taken me a while to stitch again. Everything is a bit awkward left handed but the difficulty has been holding the fabric in my right hand. 

I have completed Day 7 of Jo Verso's 12 Days of Christmas although I still have the red beads to add, far to fiddly at the moment. The half stitches were quite tricky and what a lot there were.

Time to start Day 8, I hope to get it done by the time my plaster comes off in two weeks.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter 🐣 how much chocolate have you had today?

I love decorating our house for themed days especially when I can display the lovely stitching from stitching friends over years. 

Today is Opening Day for Needlecraft Haven Spring Exchange. As I'm not stitching just now I couldn't finish my ornament that was for Julie but I found a few Spring themed decorations and included the required threads with a few treats.

My exchange parcel was from Mini, her first exchange with Needlecraft Haven. I feel very spoilt, thank you Mini for my gifts and ornament.

Mini also sent an ornament for my church tree, this year's theme is 12 Days of Christmas.

I haven't written much as it's hard work and slow going using my left hand. I have today managed 10 minutes stitching left handed, I can hold fabric in my right hand but not for long (I don't use a frame as I am working small pieces)

My cast is on for another 4 weeks, hopefully I can slowly build up to holding my fabric longer and maybe other things to make things easier.

Oops .... stitching on hold

Well what a to do, my stitching has taken a pause although I hope to have a go over the weekend. 

Last week whilst on holiday in Tenerife I tripped in the heavy rain and have broken my right wrist, along with a bruised right eye (my glasses), bruised left hand and two bruised knees. I was checked over in Tenerife and my wrist supported with a half cast and thankfully we flew home as planned. I'm now being looked after by our local hospital. 

As you can see from the photos my eye was quite bruised, I don't look great as it's hard to do your hair one handed but I did try to still enjoy our holiday (the weather was awful)

Before we went away I finished and posted a couple of gifts for our Great Nephew and Great Niece who live in the United States. He's just turned one and I stitched a name plaque as I did one for his sister when she was younger. The chart is Rag Doll Alphabet by Durene Jones, I had to adjust the character as the chart is just girls.

For our Great Neice I made a beaded bracelet. It's been many years since I did any beading and I really enjoyed it. I'd like to do more time permitting with my stitching projects being delayed.

I did manage to stitch Day 6 of my Jo Verso's 12 Days before my fall. I really do hope I can stitch soon, it's holding the fabric in my right hand that is difficult. I do need to add the red beads and the number 6.

My friend Mary has kindly lent me the chart for Just Nan's 12 Days, they will look great on the tree. Mary has kindly stitched Day 1, I have some ideas  how to finish them all but I'll do the once they are all stitched. Thank you Mary, it's lovely.

I'm hoping to catch up blog reading now I have spare time, happy stitching everyone.

Another two flowers

I have been working on the church altar cloth and have completed two more flowers, that's four in total now. 

I did find it quite fiddly as I had to undo some previous repairing as the colour was wrong, too red, and then I needed to darn the fabric to have something to stitch on. 

This was how it looked when I picked it up from the church in January.

This is the four flowers now I have finished them and close ups of each pair.

I'm waiting now for the church to purchase the gold thread as I would like to add the gold to these four flowers before I do any more so I have a reference to work from.

I have also finished Day 5 of Jo Verso's 12 Days, they are fun to do and don't take too long.

Thank you to everyone who has pledged a 12 days piece to add to my church tree this year, you are very kind. 

Last day of winter

Tomorrow is the start of meteorological spring, let's hope the sun knows this as it's been very wet so far this year. 

Our second amaryllis is in full flower and we have some beautiful mini daffodils out too. My camilia is looking amazing this year although quite early.

I have finished Day 4 of Jo Verso's 12 Days of Christmas, hopefully I can stitch at least the next three this month although I have other projects to do and we're away for a week. They will be my holiday stitching as easy to take in my travel project bag.

Hopefully the sun will shine in March so I can get more done on the church cloth, the days are getting longer too which certainly helps.

February Stitching

I've stitched Day 3 of Jo Verso's 12 Days of Christmas for my church tree. Thank you to everyone who has offered to stitch a day, it will be a great display. I'm 3/4 of the way in on Day 4.

Earlier this year I stitched Tom Mouse that was a very old freebie from a magazine. I didn't have the chart so stitched from the picture, only to find the chart in my stash after I had finished. I have now made him into a card using stickers to add a bit of shine.

It's birthday month for our son's girlfriend, she is only a few hours older than our daughter so two February birthdays very close together. 

I stitched an owl bookmark for son's girlfriend as she is an avid reader and loves owls.

I decided to stitch our daughter and bookmark too, I always stitch her something for her birthday. She doesn't read much but does like a book to hold rather than read on a tablet, she loved her bookmark and popped it straight into her current book.

I'm still working on the church cloth and will post an update soon. 

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day 💗 

It's 40 years ago today that Hubby proposed and I said yes 🥰

We're busy today so had our Valentine's meal last night, a lovely bottle of Prosecco (red roses from Hubby) and a great Cote du Rhone from The Wine Society (we visited them last week - blog link) pictured with my stitchy tree.

Today is opening day for the Valentine's Exchange at Needlecraft Haven. This is always a non-stitchy exchange which Mary organises, this year we sent handmade (but shop bought) soap. Gill sent me a lovely bar of Alban Eilir from Lush along with a beautiful handmade card.

I sent to Christine, my parcel gift was a handmade Sea Buckthorn and Sweet Orange soap from one of the craft shops in town and I added a bag of sweets and some threads (not a requirement of the exchange).

I hope you all have a great Valentine's Day celebrating love and friendship.